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Netflix Online Traffic is Surging [STATS]

The number of visitors to Netflix's website jumped 46% in June year-over-year, due in part to the tremendous popularity of the Watch Instantly streaming service and its deployment on dozens of consumer electronics devices.

The numbers were cited in a blog post over at the online video industry blog NewTeeVee, which also quoted Citi analyst Mark Mahaney saying that this is the "fastest year-to-year growth [he] has seen in over five years."

As most folks know, Netflix's core business used to be DVDs, but that could very well change in the near future. Watch Instantly is driving its growth thanks to its availability on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, HDTVs, Blu-ray players and set-top boxes like Roku.

The service is more attractive now that it's available in high definition in the living room. And although new releases don't usually hit as quickly (with some exceptions like Relativity Media) as they do at Blockbuster and other brick and mortar video stores, the comparatively low price and watch-as-much-as-you-want convenience have appealed to consumers.

Netflix is challenged more by Redbox kiosks and Hulu Plus than it is by retail chains, but its rumored plans for international expansion could give it another edge. Family movie night is already very different from what it used to be.

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